Allegations of chart manipulation are being leveled again at acclaimed boy group BTS. These claims stem from a past legal dispute involving BIGHIT MUSIC and an individual identified as "Mr. A," resurfacing online. Despite vehement denials from BIGHIT, judicial and investigative references to the incident officially refer to BIGHIT’s tactics as "chart manipulation," "illegal marketing," and "sajaegi marketing."
The genesis of the controversy traces back to August 2017 when Mr. A faced legal repercussions, receiving a one-year prison sentence for joint extortion. His modus operandi involved threatening to expose information about illegal marketing unless compensated, extorting approximately 57 million won on multiple occasions. Speculations subsequently arose regarding BTS's potential involvement in such malpractices, a notion consistently refuted by BIGHIT MUSIC.
Contrary to the company's assertions, judicial scrutiny unveiled opposing findings. Mr. A and his cohorts masqueraded as third parties, leveraging hacked emails to obtain data on illicit marketing conducted by the agency representing their employer. Moreover, Mr. A fabricated claims of being blackmailed with hacked marketing data concerning BTS, extracting funds under false pretenses, totaling ₩57.0 million KRW.
Acknowledging unconventional marketing tactics by the victims as a pretext for blackmail, the court delimited the actual financial harm to ₩42.0 million KRW. Consequently, the court validated accusations of "illegal marketing" and "sajaegi marketing," rebuffing BIGHIT MUSIC's assertions while underscoring the role of the company's own marketing practices in making the situation worse.
Attorney No Jong Eun affirmed the court's recognition of "illegal marketing," shedding light on the legal connotations of "sajaegi" and its absence from criminal jurisprudence. He emphasized the court's stance on the matter, rejecting “sajaegi” practices as legitimate.
In response to the mounting allegations, HYBE announced forthcoming legal actions, underscoring BIGHIT MUSIC's persistent stance against attempts to besmirch BTS. The battle underscores the need for reflection on ethical standards and the boundaries of marketing practices in South Korea and beyond.
